Deadline Date: March 31, 2026
The 4th China-ASEAN Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition (CAIEC) 2026 is now open for AI-powered innovators across China and ASEAN to pitch their ideas, connect across borders, and compete on a regional stage.
The competition focuses on the innovative application of artificial intelligence technology, covering a wide range of AI application scenarios across industry, agriculture, transportation and logistics, culture, medicine, finance, and education.
The 4th China-ASEAN Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition (CAIEC) 2026 welcomes participants from universities, research institutes, enterprises, and other social organizations from China and ASEAN Member States. The competition is divided into two groups: the Enterprise Group and the Team Group, providing opportunities for both established startups and emerging teams with strong technological innovation.
The Enterprise Group is open to legally registered enterprises established in China or an ASEAN Member State with innovative capabilities and high growth potential. Participating enterprises must have clear, dispute-free intellectual property rights, and must have been registered on or after January 1, 2021. The registered capital of participating enterprises must not exceed USD 4.5 million. Non-listed enterprises with excellent social reputation and no bad records are eligible, and enterprises listed on the NEEQ or the Regional Equities Exchange and Quotations are also allowed to participate.
The Team Group is designed for teams with technological innovation achievements and entrepreneurial plans that have not yet been registered as enterprises. This includes entrepreneurs, outstanding start-ups in the field of science and technology, and start-up groups from universities. Core team members must be the actual participants and executors of the project, and the project must be planned, developed, or operated by the core members. The products, technologies, and related intellectual property must belong to the core members and be free from property rights disputes.
Participation requirements include having at least three core members (up to six), and joint teams with members from China, ASEAN Member States, and other countries are strongly encouraged. At least 50% of the core team must be Chinese or ASEAN nationals. Participants must comply with the laws and regulations of China and ASEAN Member States, and follow public order and good customs. Projects that have won awards in previous China-ASEAN Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competitions are not eligible to participate.
For more information, visit ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation.
